Is disinfection of fleets during a pandemic costing carriers very expensive?

Coronavirus made adjustments to the work of all companies, including changes that happened for the Spanish organization of international carriers Astic. The Association emphasized that the best protection against coronavirus would be a ban on loading and unloading.

According to company estimates, the Spanish international carrier spends an average of 5 thousand euros per month on disinfection of the truck fleet. On protective equipment for each driver - gloves, disinfection masks, as well as training and instructions spent 60 euros.

Spain has recommendations that include various antiseptic agents, depending on whether it has contact with the cargo and on the type of cargo itself. Steering wheel, tachograph, mobile phone, gear lever, dashboard, armrest and seat, windows, handles in the cab are regularly disinfected. But at the end of the day everything inside and outside the cabin is thoroughly cleaned with disinfectants of a wide spectrum of action, ozone or ultraviolet radiation.

Such expensive recommendations are required for the full protection of workers, since vehicles are a potential carrier of the spread of coronavirus.

But despite the recommendations of the European Commission, the recommendations are still not implemented among most senders and recipients of goods.

In April, two other Spanish carriers' organizations, Fenadismer and CETM, asked about the ban on drivers performing work related to loading and unloading. Fenadismer sent a letter to the Spanish Ministry of Transport regarding this issue.

It is such protection of health and safety that implements key work for the functioning of the economy.

Italian initiative “Save the Trucker”

The Red Cross, together with the Italian road manager ANAS, launched the Save the Trucker initiative, which is dedicated to truck drivers for the full functioning of the economy and health during a pandemic.

At certain points on Italian highways, volunteers, at the request of drivers, do tests, give out disinfectants, maxi and latex gloves. The action began on May 20 and will last until June 21.